Oil-burning air heater



Aug 22, 1939. R. 1 SPIKES OIL-BURNING AIR HEATER Filed F'eb. 24, 1958 2 Shees-Sheet l Aug- 22; 1939- R. L. sPiKEs '2,170,735 I' OIL-'BURNING AIR HEATER u I y Filed Feb.. 24, 1938 2 sheevts-Sheet 2 l M4. f5 n' fi l". f1 zz. A l f e v f 33 1g lll 1 lll l/ l l l I 2J l f l ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES OIL-BURNING AIB HEATER Robert L.k Spikes, Farmville, N. C., assigner of one-third to Frank M. Davis, Jr., and one-third to Henry Johnson, both of FarmvillefN. C."

Applicaucn February e4, 193s, senil 'No'. 192,403

Claims.

This invention relates to oil burning air heaters and more particularly to an air heating and conditioning unit to be used in a tobacco storage and treating or curing room or compartment, but

5 without absolute limitation thereto.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a heating unit in which conventional oil burners may be utilized to advantage in heating the air taken into the device and to provide not l0 only for the control of the burners in operation but to regulate the iiow and distribution of the heated air discharged from the device.

A further object is to provide controlling means of universally adjustable character whereby to 1I direct the iiow of the heated air from the unit in any desired direction laterally therefrom, as well as to provide for the control of the volume of the air and the direction of its iiow within the unit prior to discharge therefrom.

A still further object is to simplify the structure whereby to facilitate the regulation and control thereof, and to secure economy in manufacture. l

' With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel structure and comblnations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and set forth with particularity inthe appended claims, in connection with the accom-- panying drawings illustrating a practical 'embodiment of the invention and in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectionr through the unit;

' Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is a front elevation, on a reduced scale;

of the unit as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a section taken on or about the line 4 1 of' Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the body portland' of the unit with the hood portion removed;

4o Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a practical arrangement of a battery of the heating units within a room or compartment for the conditioning of the air therein and also showing a practical. arrang ment of the oil supply and pipe connections for the burners of the units; and

Figure 'l is a vertical section of the [auxiliary tank used in connection with the main supply tank for controlling the oil supply to the burners.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral il designates a horizontallyelongated housing or body casing whichris supported in an elevated position from `the door by theprovision of base members or blocks Il at its opposite ends. These blocks may be made ot wood, metal or any other suitable material, and as shown they are semicircular in top plan, and have a reduced upper portion I2, about the arcuate marginal portion of which the lower part 1oi the correspondingly curved end portions of the housing Ill are fitted and secured in placeby any suitable means. As 5 shown, the-upper portion i2 is made separately from thel base portion il and is attached thereto by nails or boltslvlpandthe housing is fastened to said portions i2 by the nails i4', as shown in Figure1...-

The intermediate lower portion of the housing l0 is cut away-iongitudinally-on each side, as at l5, Iand the adjacent marginal portions are preferably reinforced by bars it which are bolted thereto, as at i-l.- It is also preferable to provide l5 a transverse horizontal brace I2 'connecting the opposite middle portions of the longitudinal walls of the housing it. l e

At the top oi thelbod housing l0 a truncated tapered cover llis provided. As shown. this 20 cover is'provided'with a lower-'marginal flange 20 which is fitted inside .the adjacent upper marginal portion of the "housing I0 and secured at intervals throughout the extentthereof by'bolts 2|, whereby the coveris removable. lArelatively large elg5 liptical opening 2 2 is provided at the center of the 'cover I2.. and in: the sloping lportions of the cover, between the outer ends thereof and the adjacent ends of theLopening 221 as series o! smaller openings' 23 are providedi-='"As shown, there' are 30 two of these openings in veach series, and a slide plate 2l, provided with a corresponding number of openings 25, is mounted'on the'outer face of the coversoas to be reciprocated longitudinally whereby to bring the openings'and 25 'into reg- 35 ister with each otherland to clo's'aid openings, atwill; n Extending longitudinally in the upper portion of the housing- Ill isr'a horizontal air tube or duct 2i, said tubeorduct 2l being' closed at one end, o as at, 2l, near one end wall ofthe housing I0, v the opposite 'end portion 2lV of said tube or duct being .extended out through opening-in the op#- posite endfwall ofthe housing. where .it isprovidedy with `a. iax nper or 'valvegate12t Prefer-y 45 ably, an elbowextension 2lisprovideqzi in said end portion 2 2,- of the tube-orduot '26, and the outer, iles of,y thef elbow-ii: preferably directed downwardly.

1 in, alignment under the 50 .tube or. duct. 29. isa-plurality ofr'oilburnersl 2l which maybeof any al'proved type'. As shown. said,b\lm1t,. comprise uppercylindrical casillas housing the, sname.-producing elements (not shown)A andprovided at their lower portions. -with suitable oil supply and iiame regulation controls 32. Said controls 32 may be of any suitable form and arrangement, the details of'which are not shown, and they are each provided with an operating rod 39 extending horizontally therefrom to the outside of the casing I0 and there provided with a manipulating knob or handle 34, by which arrangement the flame in time respective burners 3| is regulated.

The burners 3i may be supported in any suitable manner, but, as shown, they are supported by the upstanding extensions 35 of s. horizontal oil supply pipe 36 extending longitudinally through the casing I0. The pipe 36 may be connected at one end 31 thereof to the oil supply in any suitable manner, but preferably by a pipe connection with a. supply tank located so that the oil ilows by gravity into the pipe 36, said pipe 36 being provided at its opposite ends with an upstanding extension 39 having a vent opening at its upper end in a plane above the oil level of the supply tank.

Preferably, the tank which delivers the oil to the pipe 36 is auxiliary with relation to a main supply tank and it is provided with means for maintaining a denite quantity of the oil therein This auxiliary tank is designated by the numeral 39 in Figures 6 and, "l, and as shown in section in the latter figure, it is divided by a vertical partition 40 which is spaced at its lower end from the bottom oi' the tank as at 4I. At one side of the tank is an outlet pipe 42, while at the opposite side of the tank and in a horizontal plane above that of the pipe 42, is an oil inlet pipe 43 having a float-controlled valve 44 at its inner end whereby to maintain a liquid level in the tank above the outlet pipe 42. By placing the tank 39 in the oil supply line between the main tank, indicated at 45 in Figure 6, a sediment trap is provided which eiectively prevents foreign particles in the oil from entering the pipe 36 which supplies the oil directly to the burners 3i.

The air pipe or duct 26 is provided at its upper side with a longitudinal series of openings 46 through which the heated air in the pipe 26 is discharged into the upper portion of the casing i0 through a longitudinal opening 41 provided between a pair of horizontal ledges 48 extending along the inner faces of the side walls of the casing I0, said ledges being inclined transversely and upwardly from the side walls of the casing and being provided at their inner margins with upstanding flanges, by which form and arrangement of said ledges 48 longitudinal troughs are provided in which water or other liquid may be placed for the purpose of humidifying the heated air, ii desired.

The openings 46 in the air pipe or tube 26 may each be provided with a valve element whereby said openings may be closed or opened to any desired degree, but, as shown in Figure 1, only two of the openings are so equipped. As shown, the valve elements are in the form of plates 49 mounted at one end on rock shafts 50, the outer end portions of which extend outside of the casing I0 and are provided with crank arms 5i to which a reclprocatory operating bar 52 is pivotally attached, said bar being guided in a supporting bracket 53 and provided with a loop or handle 54 whereby it may be conveniently manipulated.

The valve members 49 being hinged at their ends which are disposed towards the adjacent end of the casing I6, they are obviously inclined upwardly from their hinged ends toward the opposite end of the casing i0 in their opened position. Consequently, the air discharged i'lrom said pipe 26 through the openings where the air valve members 49 are applied is directed longitudinally of the housing ill so as to commingle with the air discharged from the other openings 46 before passing out of the central elliptical openings 22 in the truncated tapered cover i9.

An inverted pan-like hood 55 is mounted above the cover I9 of the housing I0 with a unlversal tilting arrangement whereby the air discharged from the central elliptical opening 22 and the openings 23 of the cover i9 may be directed in diierent lateral directions from the unit. As shown, the hood 55 is provided on its under side, at the middle thereof, with a bracket element 56 having a. plate portion 51 which is provided with a bearing opening in which a ball 58 is seated and frictionally held by a clamping plate 59 and adjusting screw 60. The ball 59 is provided with a shank 6| which is xedly attached to the upper end of a tubular stem 62 which is sleeved with a comparatively tight t on an upstanding stud 63 provided on a transverse cross member 64 which is attached at its opposite ends to the flanged portions of said ledge members 48.

Obviously, by the ball and socket mounting oi' the hood 55 on the upper end of the stem 62 not only is a universally tiltable movement ailorded the hood, but the latter is also capable o1 a rotative adjustment, if desired, and the heated air discharged from the housing I0 beneath the hood may be directed in any desired direction laterally from the unit. 'I'hls is of material advantage in the heating and conditioning of air in a room or compartment.

In Figure 6 of the drawings, an arrangement of the units is illustrated in diagram, adapted more particularly for the conditioning of a relatively large storage or treating room, in which is arranged a battery of six of the units, each designated generally by the letter A, in which the supply pipes 31 for the oil burners are cross connected to the pipe 42 from the outlet of the tank 39, which latter, as hereinbefore described, is interposed in the pipe supply line from the main tank 45 and controlled by the oat valve 44 therein, as indicated in Figure 7.

By the arrangement of the burners 3i in a longitudinal series beneath the air pipe or duct 26 the air is heated in the said tube or duct, and at the same time the volume of the air admitted to the tube or duct is controlled by the valve or damper 29, while the volume of the heated air and its direction of ilow is controlled by the valved openings in said tube or duct and also by the regulation of the openings 23 in the cover i 9 which are controlled by the apertured slide plates 24. In this connection it is noted that the distribution of the heated air from the unit may be equally in every direction laterally therefrom when the hood element 55 is in the horizontal position shown in the drawings, yet, when desired, said hood element may be tilted to direct the preponderance of the discharged air in one lateral direction.

In the use of the heating device of the present invention, particularly in the process of curing tobacco within a barn, curing room or compartment, the outer end portion 28 of the tube or duct 26, having a downturned elbow extension 30, is usually extended to the exterior of the curing chamben so as to receive air from the outside "I -the tube or duct 26 is controlled by the damper 29, said damper being also provided to entirely close said tube or duct, if desired, so that no air whatever is admitted 4therein through the elbow 30 on the extension 26, in which case only the air which is taken into the lower combustion chamber portion of the casing I is circulated with the heated products of combustion which pass upwardly at each side of the tube or duct 26, through the elongated medial passageway 41 and out through the main central opening 22 of the casing cover or also through the controlled auxiliary openings 23, whence it is directed from the region of the casing I0 in a volume, the directed flow of which is controlled by the relative position of the inverted pan-like hood 55.

When the damper or valve 29 is opened and the tube or duct 26 is heated by the operation of the burner elements 3| thereunder, the air is obviously drawn into the tube or duct through the elbowed extension 28, 30, and becoming heated in said tube or duct is discharged through the openings 46, the volume and velocity of the air leaving the tube or duct being controlled by the damper or valve 29 and the aggregate area of the openings 46, some of which latter are controlled by the vertically swingable valve plates or dampers 49. In other words, greater velocity is attained if only the two valveless openings 46 are used. The valve plates 49 of the other two openings 46 being closed, the heated air flows out of the casing IIJ through the opening 22 with considerable velocity, its direction of flow from the casing I 0 being governed by the relative position of the hood 55 with which it collides as hereinbefore described. Obviously, by opening the valve plates or dampers 49 to different degrees the volume of air passing from. the tube or duct 26 is accordingly varied, naturally reducing the velocity of the outflow of heated air from the casing I0, and said valve plates or dampers being hingedly mounted as they are the air passing from their respective openings 46 is deflected towards the two valveless openings 46 so as to effectively commingle with the heated air passing from the latter before being discharged through the main central outlet opening 22. Inl

this connection, in some cases, the slides 24 may be adjusted to bring their openings 25 into either partial or full registration with the auxiliary outlet openings 23 in the truncated tapered cover I9 of the casing Ill, this being to spread the distribution of the heated air from'the casing I0 against the under side of the hood 55 longitudinally thereof, thus increasing the general eiliciency of the device and adding to the adjustability and flexibility thereof in adapting it to the varying conditions, atmospheric and otherwise, to be met in the curing of tobacco and for which purpose the de/vice of the present invention isv primarily produced.

For access to the lower portion of the casing III, a horizontally elongated opening is provided in the side wall of the casing with a door 65 which is preferably hinged along its lower edge portion, as at 66, and suitable latches 61 are provided for fastening the door in its closed position.

Obviously the structure and arrangement of the device may be modied and alteredlin many respects within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 'Ihe inve'ntion, therefore, is' not limited'to the specific construction and arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings. y

What is claimed is:

1. An` air conditioning and circulating heater for curing tobacco and thellke, comprising a horizontally elongated casing with a horizontal air duct therein, the air duct having controllable means of outlet into the upper portion -of the casing, said casing having a central outlet opening in its top. correlated fuel burners within the casing for heating said air duct, and a universally adjustable hood element locatedover the top of the casing and covering the outlet opening thereof whereby to control and variably direct theoutflow of heated air impacted thereagainst from said outlet opening of the casing.

2. An air conditioning and circulating heater for curing tobacco and the like, comprising a horizontally elongated casing with a horizontal air duct therein, the air duct having controllable I means of outlet into the upper portion of the casing, said casing having a longitudinally elongated, normally open, central outlet opening in is top and a series of controllable auxiliary openings adjacent eachend of said central opening, correlatedv fuel burners within the casing for heating said air duct, and a universally adjustable hood element located over the top of the casing and covering the central and auxiliary outlet openings thereof whereby to control and variably direct the outflow of heated air impacted thereagainst from said outlet opening of the casing.

`3. An air conditioning and circulating heater for curing tobacco and the like, comprising a horizontally elongated casing, a horizontal air duct extending longitudinally within the upper portion of the casing, said air duct being closed at one end within the casing and having its opposite end extended outside the casing and provided with a valve-controlled inlet, said duct having a longitudinal series of outlet openings in its upper side within the casing, a longitudinal series of fuel burner elements located beneath said air duct and individually and collectively operableto heat the duct, the casing having a truncated tapered top closure provided with a central outlet opening therein, and a universally adjustable hood element located above the casing and covering the central outlet opening thereof whereby to variably direct the outflow of the heated air impacted thereagainst from said outlet opening.

4. In a heater of the character described, a casing having a horizontal air duct therein, fuel burner elements arranged beneath said air duct whereby to heat the same, said air duct having valve-controlled intake provision externally of the casing and controllable outlet provision within the casing for discharging the heated air from the duct in variable volume and directional ow into the upper portion of the casing. said casing having a central outlet opening in its top, and a hood element located above the top of the casing vand extending over the outlet opening thereof with provision for adjustment whereby to variably direct the distribution of the heated air laterally from the casing'as discharged from the outlet opening thereof.

5. In a heater of the character described, an open bottomed, horizontally elongated, casing supported at its opposite ends in raised position, a .horizontal series of fuel burner elements arranged longitudinally and medially within the lower portion of the casing, means for individu- 'l5 'allyregulating and operating said burner elements, a horizontal air duct extending longitudinally within the casing and above said burner elements whereby to be heated by the latter, said air duct being closed at one end within the casing, its opposite end extending outside the casing and being provided with a valved inlet, said duct being provided with a longitudinal series of elongated outlet openings in its upper side within the casing, certain oi.'A said outlet openings nearer the inlet end ot the duct being provided with tiltable closure members for regulating the volume o! output of heated air from the duct and directing the ilow of the discharged air through these particular openings towards the other openings not mirarse so provided, said casing having a median longitudinal passageway between a pair of ledges extending longitudinally of the casing walls at opposite sides of and in a plane above said air dctbsaid casing having a truncated tapered cover provided with a longitudinally elongated central opening and a series of smaller valvecontrolled openings adjacent the opposite ends of said central opening, and an adjustable hood element located above the casing -cover and extending over said openings thereof whereby to variably direct the outiiow of heated air laterally iroln' said casing. l

ROBERT L. SPIRES.' 

